Visit of Dr. Dora Marinova to iDEA foundation office

Visit of Dr. Dora Marinova to iDEA foundation office

Prof. Dr. Dora Marinova, Director, Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, Australia visited iDEA Foundation office on 15 January, 2023. Most EC members of iDEA foundation were present in the meeting. Mr Kazi. M. Aminul Islam, Chairman of the iDEA foundation, and Mr. Abul Kalam Azad, Vice Chairman, welcomed Dr. Dora Marinova and started the meeting.  

Dr. Marinova shared her experience on her recent visit to Bangladesh, especially the SIMEC-sponsored Pabna SDG model village. She said SIMEC so far did a good job in taking research-based action projects in the village. She appreciated environment-friendly initiatives taken for the benefits of the rural people, particularly the progress in organic cultivation, and use of bio-pesticides.

Mr. Kazi Aminul Islam gave an overview of the iDEA’s on-going activities, its mission and vision, and what the foundation achieved within a year of its establishment. Mr. Hussain Samad, Lead Researcher of iDEA Foundation, described foundation’s current project on Mobile Financial Services (MFS), which is being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Mr. Abul Kalam Azad mentioned that iDEA foundation signed an MOU with SIMEC for collaboration on SDGs, blue economy and other similar initiatives. Mr. Azad also mentioned that as the Government of Bangladesh is planning to move from Digital Bangladesh to Smart Bangladesh initiative, iDEA foundation will focus on contributing to that transition.

Dr. Marinova mentioned that she visited GIU and expressed her satisfaction with the current activities of GIU. She also told she will consider developing a partnership between Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute and iDEA Foundation in areas of climate change, blue economy, and financial inclusion.

Dr. Asif Siddiqui, Managing Director, Circular Economics Pte Ltd. and Senior visiting scholar, NTU, Singapore, told that over 150 government officials of Bangladesh obtained so far the special training on SDG from Curtin University.

Mr. Abul Kalam Azad mentioned that development programs should focus on country’s youths as they are full of enthusiasm to contribute and want to make a difference in efforts to mitigate climate vulnerability.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Kazi M. Aminul Islam thanked Dr. Marinova and her colleagues for their kind visit to iDEA office and expressed optimism for future cooperation with Curtin university on different development agenda, particularly implementation of SDGs in Bangladesh.